Aftermath
by Zipper Nova
Summary: Just a fan fiction about Zack having to take care of Cloud if he were to have survived that day on the cliff. Slight Zack/Cloud, slight Zack/Aerith


**Title: **Aftermath  
><strong>Author: <strong>Zipper Nova  
><strong>Rating: <strong>K  
><strong>Pairings: <strong>Slight Cloud/Zack, slight Aerith/Zack  
><strong>Summary: <strong>Just a fan fiction about Zack having to take care of Cloud if he were to have survived that day on the cliff. Slight Zack/Cloud, slight Zack/Aerith

Four years had been taken away from them. Four years of no freedom. He had finally managed to get as much freedom back as he could. Not only for himself, but for his younger, comatose friend too.

Zack Fair had managed to escape from the hidden lab in Nibelheim, carrying Cloud Strife the whole way. Feeding him, protecting him, taking care of him anyway he needed. Zack usually finds himself thinking anyone else would have left their friend behind. However, something about the younger boy made Zack never want to leave him. Maybe it was because he was a fellow country boy, but that's not a strong reason. Maybe because he had grown attached to him while they were still at Shin-Ra. He took care of him there too. He stopped the others from picking on him, helped him with his school work, even though he was pretty sure the younger was much smarter than him, and comforted him when things got to him. That seemed strong enough a reason, even after being trapped and tortured for so long must have increased his attachment. He, once again, took care of the boy there too. Zack never complained about any of it though. It was in his nature to care, to help anyone and everyone in any and every way he could. He protected Cloud from the sick guards there, sick Hojo, sick experiments, all of it. The times he couldn't protect the blonde were the times he hated not only himself but the world and everything in it.

Those times were over now. It's best not to dwell in the past. He needed to move on for now. To keep protecting his friend. They may have gotten away but that didn't mean Cloud was any better. His mako poisoning had indeed lessened its toll but it wasn't by much. Cloud was still staring blankly at walls, at Zack. He still didn't talk or move either. His hands did twitch every now and then and he did manage to make a few moans or whines when in pain or sometimes even to just try and say something but that was about it. It didn't sound like much of an improvement when Zack really thought about it but it felt and looked like one when you had spent four years with the boy watching him degrade into nothing.

Maybe that was another reason Zack still had Cloud. He knew what he was like before. Since he had put the task of taking care of the blonde while in captivity on his shoulders he felt bad for not being able to protect him the way he told himself he needed to.

Zack had been snapped out of his pondering by a small knock on the door. He looked up from where he lay next to Cloud on a small bed they shared. Aerith quietly opened the door to the room and peered in. when she saw Zack she smiled and tiptoed into the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

"How are you two doing?" She whispered to Zack.

"We're fine." Zack replied with a smile. He looked down to the sleeping blonde next to him. "Aerith I-"

"Don't even Zack!" Aerith scolded. "You're welcome here. No matter what trouble you get into."

"You shouldn't say that." Zack said with a small chuckle. "Things could be a lot worse. What if I come here one day after blowing up Shin-Ra and killing everyone? Am I still welcome then?"

"Of course!" Zack smiled and shook his head.

"You're funny. We can't stay here though." He began, sitting up. "We're putting you and your mom in danger. I don't want you two to get hurt because of us."

"Zack Fair! Be quiet and go back to sleep if you're going to talk like that! Better yet, get out of my house! If you don't want to be here because you're afraid you'll get me and my mother in trouble then just leave! Cloud can stay here though!" Aerith ranted.

"Whoa, wait a second! How come he gets to stay?!" Zack said much louder than he intended.

"Because he needs a place where he can rest and get better and moving him everywhere isn't going to let that happen. Besides, I'm sure he doesn't want to hear you talking the way you are. You woke him up with that last yell." Aerith said. She crouched down beside the bed and smiled at the now awake blonde. "Good morning Cloud." She said in her soft voice.

"Hey, sorry Spiky. Did we, uh I, wake you up?" Zack asked with a small embarrassed chuckle. To no surprise the blonde stared blankly at the ceiling and didn't reply. Zack sighed and placed a hand on the younger's forehead. He felt warm but nothing to worry over. Not that he didn't.

"I'll go downstairs and get him some water." Aerith spoke up. When she left Zack carefully scooped up Cloud and moved him to where he sat in his lap.

"'Bout time you woke up. I was getting bored." Zack said with a smile. "Maybe I'll wake you up myself more often."

"Don't you dare!" Aerith scolded from the doorway. "He needs his rest." She walked across the room and waited as Zack resituated Cloud to where he was almost cradling him. Aerith gave Zack the glass of water and watched as he went through the rest of his daily routine.

Zack was use to helping Cloud get drinks or eat. It was a little harder than feeding a baby sure but none the less it was the same general concept. It was better than when he first had to help him drink or eat. He remembered when Cloud's poisoning had been really bad and he couldn't even drink by himself. Zack had gotten scared and was afraid his young friend might die. He had done the only thing he could think of which consisted of himself drinking the water and forcing it into Cloud's mouth with his own. He'd have to ask the blonde if he remembered that when he got better.

When Cloud was finished with the water Zack handed Aerith the glass and watched the blonde's empty gaze. Aerith had sat down on the bed next to the two and watched as Zack seemed to go into another deep thought.

"Hey Aerith," he said suddenly. "Do you ever feel like we're a family, with a baby?"

"Hm? Don't be silly!" She said with a giggle.

"I'm serious! No offense to my little blonde here but you've got to feel like that sometimes! You're the mommy, I'm the daddy and Cloudy here is the little baby!" Zack explained lightly patting Cloud's hair.

"Oh Zack," Aerith said through a fit of giggles. They spent a few more minutes together just talking about their fake little family.

"I hate to say it but I have to go." Aerith said with a small sigh.

"Where are you going?" Zack asked.

"I have to go to the church and take care of the flowers then I promised a few of the kids I would teach them about how to take care of them." Aerith explained. She gave an apologetic smile and left.

"Well Spike, I guess it's just you and me again. Not that I mind! I like you!" Zack said with a smile. He felt Cloud's hand twitch against his leg and looked at the blonde. He smiled at him and held his hand. "I'll take that as you like me too." Since Cloud's bangs were in his face he couldn't really see his eyes. Zack let go of Cloud's hand and brushed his bangs away. When he did he was shocked to what he saw.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked worriedly. There was a trail of fallen tear going down the blonde's face. "Hey, hey, everything'll be okay." He quickly reassured. He managed to push all joking aside when the blonde needed comfort. "I promise. I'll never leave you. I know you told me you didn't like being babied, and I remembered that, so I hope you're not upset about what I said with you being the baby. You're not. I don't care if I have to take care of you. I do it because I want to."

_"Why do you want to? What's so special about me!?" _Zack heard the Cloud in his head yell.

"Because Spike, I love you. You're my best friend and I'd never leave you. It's like I told you when we first became friends. I'm not sure why I care about you so much. It's not pity and it's not a joke. It's really hard to explain." Zack held the younger boy closer and hid his face in the blonde's spikes. He blinked back a few of his own tears and smiled into the hair. "Now you got me messed up. I don't wanna have any teary moments right now okay Spiky!" He said tilting Cloud's face up to meet his own. He smiled and wiped away another tear. "Come on, there's no reason to be upset." He whispered. He leaned forward and kissed the blonde's forehead. He often found himself doing weird things like that now days. It didn't matter though. He figured he may as well enjoy being able to do it while he can. Once Cloud was healthier and could actually smack the older teen away Zack was sure he wouldn't be able to give him little kisses anymore. Maybe he could sneak them somehow.

"Come on," Zack began. "I think you need a bath. You don't smell like Aerith's shampoo anymore." Zack said with a laugh. He carefully laid Cloud down on the bed and ruffled his hair. "Be right back, okay." Zack went into the bathroom and started a bath. He quickly went back into the bedroom with anxiety choking him. He panicked every time he left the kid alone. He was afraid he would stop breathing or even disappear. Like Hojo would take him away or he dreamed the whole escape up and never actually had taken Cloud with him. Cloud probably thought he was crazy how he nearly clung to him every time he saw him. Even if they had been apart for a second. Literally.

Zack took his own clothes off in the bedroom so he had nothing but his boxers on. He carried Cloud into the bathroom and did the same for him. It was easier for Zack to just get into the tub with him. The awkwardness of the situation had gone away completely for him but he had other thoughts for Cloud. He was still probably shy about it all. He'd check once he actually got in the tub with the kid. He may have been mako poisoned but that didn't mean his blushing reflex didn't work. At least with them wearing their boxers they didn't have to worry about covering themselves up. Zack was use to being naked in front of others. After all he was with Shin-Ra for a while. Cloud had a sort of shy side to him though. Innocent, most people would call it.

It was a little more challenging to get in the tub with his friend with Aerith gone but he had managed to memorize a somewhat simple way of getting the deed done.

"You blushing yet?" Zack asked aloud. He leaned forward and looked over Cloud's shoulder to see his face. He did see a light blush but, he also saw that the younger's eyes were closed. He almost looked as though he were asleep.

"Hey now, you're not falling asleep on me are you?" Zack asked him. He watched the younger's face until he finally saw the mako tainted blue eyes he longed for. "You don't seem tired." Zack said to, mostly, himself. "You like the water huh?" Zack moved his hand over the water so small waves formed. "It does feel nice you know." He then took Cloud's hand into his own and repeated the action. "Sadly, we can't sit here forever. The water'll get cold after a while. One of the few downsides to it I guess."

Zack grabbed a rag from the side of the tub and dipped it in the water. He leaned Cloud's head back to where it was resting on his shoulder and rang the rag out over his hair. It was the safest and easiest way he could think of getting his hair wet. Zack did have one problem with it though. Cloud would flinch every time the water hit his face. Maybe it was just a natural reflex. Zack didn't know. But he couldn't help but think the worst thing. It hurt him, he was afraid of water, it brought back a memory he didn't like. Something along those lines was usually what fluttered in without permission.

Once Cloud's hair was wet Zack would get the shampoo, put it in his mass of blonde spikes, and then use the rag again to get the soap out. It took more times to get the soap out but it didn't really matter.

It was hard for Zack to determine whether or not washing Cloud's body was easier or harder than washing his hair. He supposed it varied from time to time. It was kinda simple though in some sense. For his arms and chest Zack would just lean Cloud against his chest and wash those first. For his back he would lean him forward, holding him up with one arm of course, and wash that part. His legs were easy to take care of too. He never really got too close to any personal areas. He knew it wasn't good for an area as important as that to not get cleaned though, so most of the time he debated with himself on what to do. It was like sexually harassing your best friend but at the same time you were helping him.

"But other best friends wouldn't do this." Zack mumbled aloud to himself.

_"Y-yeah but, other best friends wouldn't have saved someone from a crazy scientist when given the chance to escape." _Zack's inner Cloud told him.

"Maybe," Zack said with a sigh. "But, ah, I hate this. It's wrong but... Man!" Zack sat there for a few more minutes debating with himself on what to do. He was brought out of his thoughts by a small whine from Cloud.

"Ah, sorry Spike. I'm just trying to figure out what to do..." Zack apologized. "Ah fuck it!" He nearly yelled. He turned Cloud's head so his eyes were looking at Zack's neck. "I'm sorry." Zack whispered. It really hurt him to know that Cloud might later hate him for touching him in a way he really didn't want to be touched.

When the whole ordeal was said and done with, Zack sat in the tub holding Cloud as the water slowly drained away through the now open drain.

"You, you forgive me. Right?" Zack asked Cloud in a low, hopeful voice. Not even the Cloud in his head would answer him. He laid his head on Cloud's shoulder and held back a few tears. He held Cloud's hand to seek some sort of comfort. When a quiet groan and a small twitch of the fingers were given Zack panicked and loosened his grip on the boy. He looked over Cloud's shoulder with a worried expression. He was afraid one of his greatest fears had just been realized. Cloud didn't want Zack near him. He had finally hated him, disrespected him. Zack was hoping he could be able to make out some sort of expression on the blonde's face, mostly one of anger or hate. What he saw, and felt, though was something completely different. Cloud had a small and almost unnoticeable way of showing when he was scared, cold or trying to reassure someone due to his mako poisoning. Because Zack had paid so much attention to him had come to notice this sign. What looked like a sad or scared face a person with paralyzed face muscles could show and a whine that almost sounded pathetic. Zack thought over the sign and wrapped his arms around Cloud again. The look almost seemed to disappear in an instant and what much he could do with his weight felt like it had been shifted to rest on Zack's chest.

"So, you don't, hate me?" Zack asked hopefully.

_"You're... an idiot, sometimes." _Said Zack's inner Cloud said.

"Sometimes, fears get the best of us." Zack casually replied. "Now, let's get you out of here. Being cold and wet won't help you get better." Maybe now was the time Zack could say was the hardest part with not having Aerith to help him. Then again getting himself out of the comfort of the water was hard for him to do any other time. He grabbed a towel, wrapped it around Cloud and carried him into the bedroom they were occupying. He laid him on their bed and went to get the clean clothes Aerith had went out and bought for them a few days ago.

"Aw look Spike! Aerith got you little Chocobo boxers!" Zack said with a smile holding them up for Cloud to see. He placed the clean clothes on the bed next to him and sat Cloud up so he could dry his hair. It was easier said than done, none the less. Zack dried off his chest next and put on his new pale blue shirt. Next came the, now less shameful, part of drying and clothing Cloud's waist. It was kind of weird how Zack decided to talk while doing this however.

"You know when I do this, I think back to when we first escaped from that place." Zack began. Cloud whimpered before he could continue. "I know, you don't like talking about it." Zack frowned, looking at Cloud with an apologetic expression. "Or, well, hearing about it. Um, when I first took you up stairs and found that SOLDEIR uniform for you. I had to change you then too. But I didn't actually see you naked so I guess it's not really the same." Zack said looking to Cloud. His cheeks were tinted a light pink. Something Zack was sure he hadn't seen when he looked at him not more than twenty seconds earlier. "Aw, Spike! Did you take some kind of embarrassment from that?" Zack asked him with a smile. He reached up and, very lightly, pinched Cloud's cheek. "You blushed then too." He said with a chuckle.

By now Zack finished dressing Cloud and pulled him up so he was in a sitting position. "Hm, maybe you need a little more color. Maybe not pink. Then again, I personally think you look fine." Cloud's cheeks turned a brighter pink. Zack smiled at him and picked him up so that he was holding him in a bridal position.

"What do you say we go down stairs and get something to eat?" He asked. He carried the younger downstairs to the kitchen and placed him on one of the chairs. He then proceeded to go to the fridge and find one of Aerith's already pre-made foods.

Since Cloud couldn't really control his muscles that well, Aerith would get vegetables and other foods from the market and mash them up so they'd be easier for him to eat. They gave him soups sometimes too but since he was sick he needed his vitamins and other nutrients to help him get better. Zack and her even bought baby food for him a couple times. They never told him though. They would peel the labels off so it just looked like another jar of food. They had to open them when he wasn't around so the cap could pop and let the air out. Since they couldn't seal the air with the homemade food, having the sealed baby food jars pop when opened would give them away.

Zack grabbed one of the containers of the homemade food and microwave it.

"I bet you'll like this. It's some of Aerith's mom's famous potato soup." Zack said as he went back over to the kitchen table. He pulled a chair over to his friend and got everything situated.

Cloud had gotten better about holding his head up so Zack didn't have to worry too much about him falling forward and slamming his head on the table or anything like that.

"Okay, let's go." Zack said with a smile. He moved a spoon full of the chunky soup towards Cloud's mouth. After this we can go outside to the garden if you like." Zack watched Cloud's mouth and waited for him to go for the bite.

"Come on Cloudy, It's really good and you need to eat." Zack said with a frown. When Cloud still didn't go for it he reached forward and grabbed the boys face. "Don't make me force it." Zack warned with a smile. He felt the muscles in Cloud's face start to move and soon after, his mouth opened. "Good boy," Zack said feeding him the food. "I know eating is a lot of work for you and you'd rather not do it, but you'll never get better if you don't eat anything."

After all the daily rituals were finished, Zack took Cloud out front to Aerith's garden. He liked going to the garden because it was a peaceful place. Not that the house wasn't peaceful. Zack was more of an outside person. Always was and always will be. Cloud seemed to like it too. Sometimes he would make a noise or two when Zack started talking too much though. Zack took it as a meaning of "Be quiet. If I wanted to hear you talk I probably would have just stayed inside with you where I could sit there and listen to your lovely voice bounce off the walls." Of course Zack threw the "lovely voice" in but it was all the same in the end.

"A long time ago, when I use to come see Aerith all the time, I use to fall asleep here. I fell asleep in the church a few times too." Zack said lying back in a patch of dirt. He sat back up though and moved himself and Cloud over to some of the flowers. He sat Cloud between his legs and reached forward to touch a white flower.

"Aerith taught me how to tell when a flower was okay to picked or when it needed to be left alone to grow more." Zack began as he picked the flower. "Before I met her, I use to think it didn't matter whether you waited for the flower to grow more or not. It just meant it was prettier than before, but in the end, it just dies all the same right?" Zack twirled the flower between his fingers. He leaned forward and saw, what he hoped to be, Cloud staring at the flower. Maybe he was thinking over what Zack had said.

"That's nothing to think about though! After all the flower lives longer if you wait!" Zack exclaimed. He took Cloud's hand and placed the flower in it. He then reached forward and found a few more flowers that Aerith would be okay with if he picked. He placed them in front of him and Cloud carefully as to not ruin them. He would give them to Aerith later.

While he was working, Cloud still held the first flower he had picked. He was still staring at it. It was a painful and nearly exhausting process, but he managed to move his thumb over a thorn that was on the stem of the plant. He added as much pressure as he could manage to his thumb and felt a prick of pain. He gave a small whine and watched as a drop of his blood fell to the ground.

"Cloud, what are doing!?" Zack exclaimed. He stopped what he was doing and took the flower Cloud held from his hand. He examined his thumb then added pressure to it by squeezing it between his own thumb and index finger.

"What happened?" He asked him. Cloud barely moved his head to look at his and Zack's hands. "You didn't do that on purpose did you?"

"Zack is everything okay?" Came a voice from behind them. Zack turned around to see Aerith standing a few feet away.

"Oh, Aerith. Everything's fine, just an accident is all." Zack explained.

"N-no." Came a small voice from the front of him.

"W-what?" Zack asked Cloud in disbelief. He was shocked in two ways. One, his best friend who he hadn't heard say a single word in who knows how long just said something and two, he just said that it wasn't an accident. "You, did this, on purpose?" Cloud's fingers twitched in response. Zack tilted Cloud's head back so he could see his eyes. They looked as fogged over as earlier that morning yet he had already done so much more than he ever had in the past few years. Zack didn't have much time to study Cloud's eyes as they disappeared behind his eyelids.

"Cloud!" Zack exclaimed.

By this time Aerith had already rushed over and had been watching the scene unfold from the point when Cloud actually said something. She crouched down next to the two of them and placed her hand on his forehead.

"Don't worry, he's only tired." She said standing up. "It must have taken a lot of energy to do the things he just did." She took a few steps towards the door then turned to face Zack and Cloud. She walked back over to them and picked up all the flowers they had picked. She smiled at Zack who looked at his friend with a worried expression.

"It's okay Zack, really. Come on, let's get him inside. He needs to rest."

Zack nodded and carried Cloud into the house and to the room they shared. He placed him on the bed and covered him with the blanket. Aerith came into the room with the flowers they picked. She held them out to Zack who took them. There were six all together. Three white, three yellow. One white being the one Cloud cut himself on. He took the white one and gave the rest to Aerith.

"Those are for you." He said with a forced smile.

"Zack," Aerith began with a sad smile. "Thank you." It was quiet for a few moments until she spoke up again.

"What happened exactly?"

"We were sitting there, and I had picked a flower and I told him how you taught me when it was okay to pick a flower and when you needed to wait and let it grow. I gave him the flower I picked then found those other ones and picked them for you. I had just sat down one of the yellows when I heard him make a noise. I looked over and saw his thumb over a thorn and blood on the ground. It wasn't a lot but, still."

Aerith was silent as she watched Cloud's sleeping form.

"Why would he do that?" Mumbled Zack.

"I'm not sure." Aerith replied. "I'm going to put these in water. I'll come back up here though."

"No, you can go on with your day." Zack began. "It's okay! I'll watch him! Everything will be fine; he's done more than he has in so long! I'm happy for him." Zack said with another forced smile.

"Right, of course!" Aerith said with a cheerful smile. "I have to take care of the flowers out front still, so if you need me, that's where I'll be!" And with that, she left, closing the door behind her.

Zack's smile vanished as soon as she left. Little did he know hers as well was gone. She stood a few steps from the door looking at the flowers she held.

"Zack, you're such a bad liar."

**~X~**

Zack stood next to the window overlooking the flowers in front of the house. He watched as Aerith tended them. He still held the flower Cloud had cut himself on. He looked to the still sleeping blonde then to the flower.

"Why would you do that?" He asked in a low voice.

_"N-no." _Echoed Cloud's voice inside his head. The scene replayed over and over in his mind. Each time he got even more confused than before.

"Why? It just doesn't make any sense!" He said a little louder than he intended.

"You'd do it too if you were going through the same thing." Said a monotone voice from behind Zack. Zack quickly spun around and nearly fell over at what he saw.

"S-Sephiroth!" He yelled. There sat Sephiroth on the edge of the bed. "Y-you-!"

"To feel pain," Sephiroth began. "He believed he couldn't feel anything. That everything that was happening around him was something he couldn't feel. Like it was all a dream."

"Sh-shut up! You don't know anything! Get away from him!" Zack yelled some more.

"Yelling will get you no where Zackary." Sephiroth cooed. Zack blinked and Sephiroth was gone.

"W-what the hell?" He asked himself in a low voice.

"Things are different now." Sephiroth said from behind him. Zack quickly spun around and jumped back.

"C-Cloud!" He yelled. Sephiroth was holding Cloud up by his waist. Zack looked to the now empty bed and back to Sephiroth to see if it was the real Cloud.

"Don't worry Zackary, it's the real boy." Sephiroth said with an evil smile.

"Let him go!" Zack said in stern voice.

"He wants to feel pain? I'll give him a pain he will never forget." Sephiroth lifted up his Masume and plunged it into Cloud's chest. Cloud couldn't even scream. All Zack heard was a somewhat quiet string of whimpers and whines.

"STOP!" Zack screamed. He sat up quickly to see the bed he and Cloud shared. He heard the same whimpers and whines from his dream come from Cloud who was now lying in the bed again. He had tears falling down his cheeks and seemed almost scared or in pain.

"Cloud?" Zack asked him. He stood up and went to move his hand. It was just then that he realized he had had his hand on Cloud's arm. When he looked down, he could have killed himself then and there. Cloud's arm had a giant purple bruise on it from where his hand had been.

"Oh my God..." he whispered in shock. "Cloud I," Zack began but was cut off as Aerith came bursting through the door to their room.

"Is everything okay? What happened?" She quickly asked. She looked at Zack who was staring at Cloud's arm in horror. She looked at Cloud's arm and gasped. Zack started backing away from Cloud. He was looking at his hands in shock. His face was pale. When his back hit the wall behind him he slid down and sat on the floor. Aerith quickly went over to Cloud and checked to see if he was okay. She didn't know what had happened but she assumed that Cloud had managed to do something that upset Zack and as retaliation, Zack had hurt Cloud and given him the bruise.

Aerith was scared. She managed to pick Cloud up and carry him into her room. She sat him on her bed and held him close. She wiped the tears from his face and looked at his arm. The bruise was terrible. How could Zack hurt someone he cared so much for? She ran a hand through Cloud's hair and whispered calming words. She made sure he was calm before she laid him down and looked at his arm again. The bruise actually looked better. Not by much but it was still amazing how well it had gotten in the five minutes that had passed. She carefully touched his arm and felt to see if the bone was broken. Cloud whimpered in pain at the slightest touch.

"I'm sorry." She apologized. When she was sure everything was okay she told him not to move and that she would be right back. She got an ice pack and a cloth and put it on Cloud's arm.

"It's okay. I'll be right back okay." She said with a smile. She ran her hand through his hair one more time then left the room.

When Aerith had entered the room where Zack still sat on the floor, she could her him mumbling something under his breath. He still looked pale and in shock. Aerith carefully approached him and called his name.

"Zack?" She asked softly. When he didn't respond she tried again. "Zack, are you okay?" When she got closer to him she was able to make out what he was saying.

"I hurt him, I hurt him, I hurt him," Zack mumbled repeatedly.

"Zack, what happened?" Aerith asked him next. Zack seemed to snap out of his trance and he looked up to the bed where Cloud once laid.

"It, was a, dream." He mumbled again.

"What was a dream?"

"Sephiroth was here. He, he tried to hurt Cloud." Zack clenched his fist at the last part. Realization hit Aerith at seeing this.

"You were holding his arm while you slept. You had a bad dream and ended up squeezing his arm, making the bruise." Aerith hypothesized. Zack nodded and pulled his legs against his chest. he proceeded to hide his face behind them and let out a few sobs. Aerith rubbed his back in circular motions and told him it was okay.

"How could I do that?!" Zack suddenly yelled. "My job is to protect him not hurt him! How could I let something as stupid as this happen!?" He yelled some more, punching the floor.

Aerith pulled her hand back in shock and slight fear.

"Zack, you should go see him." She suggested.

"I can't face him." Zack said in a low voice.

"He needs you!" She urged.

"He doesn't need someone who will only hurt him."

"You helped him earlier! He needs help now! Zack he's confused. he doesn't know what's going on. I'm sure he's scared too!" Aerith grabbed Zack's face and turned it towards her. She wiped his tears away and smiled at him. "You need to see him. His arm, is a lot better I'm sure. He, seems to, heal fast."

Zack looked her in the eye then turned to look at the floor. he nodded and stood.

"I, I can't leave him. I'll never leave him."

The two of them headed to Aerith's room next door and quietly entered the room. Aerith walked in first then Zack. She walked over to where Cloud lay and checked his arm.

"See Zack, look." She instructed.

Zack cautiously walked over to the bed and looked at Cloud's arm. It really wasn't that bad anymore. Mostly just that nasty last stage of a disappearing bruise. Too bad that last stage had to be the worst looking stage of the whole bruise process. He supposed it wasn't as bad as before though. Since Cloud was so pale the purple bruise showed up much better than this yellow one.

"Cloud," Zack whispered. "I'm so sorry." He let a few more tears fall and leaned over the bed. He placed his hand on Cloud's forehead and played with some of the strands of hair that laid there. When one of his tears fell on the blonde's cheek, he wiped his eyes then the tear from the younger's face. He gave a small smile and moved Cloud to where Zack was able to sit on the bed and hold him.

"I'm so stupid." Zack mumbled to himself.

"You're not!" Aerith said with a frown. Zack shook his head with a sad smile. He lightly rubbed his thumb over Cloud's bruise.

Zack spent the rest of the day making sure Cloud was safe from any and everything. Even when Aerith was near he would go into mother bird mode. He didn't think she would hurt him it was just something he did.

When night came and Cloud had dozed off, it took Zack a few minutes to comfort himself enough to be able to lay down next to Cloud. When he did he got into his normal position. Cloud on the side next to the wall, a couple pillows under his head as to keep it raised a bit, and Zack lying on his side, facing Cloud. He placed his hand on the blonde's chest and watched as both rose and fell. He used this as his way of tell whether Cloud stopped breathing in his sleep.

It all started back in the Shin-Ra mansion. Cloud had stopped breathing once when he had gone to sleep. They almost lost him. If it weren't for someone checking in on them, Cloud probably wouldn't be where he was at the moment. But then again, if weren't for them, he wouldn't have had to deal with that shit of a hell hole. He wouldn't be… broken.

The second time Cloud had stopped breathing was when they had escaped from Shin-Ra's grasp. They were resting under a tree, hiding from the guards that were sure to be lingering somewhere. If not ten miles away then fifty miles away. Zack hadn't come up with the hand on the chest thing yet. He was just lucky enough to wake up in time to catch it.

By the third time around, Zack had come up with the hand trick. They were both sleeping in a small cave of the sort. Zack had managed to make Cloud a make shift pillow. They were laying down when Zack had woken up from his sleep at lack of feeling movement. He realized Cloud wasn't breathing again and quickly did resuscitation. Ever since then, if Cloud had a weird breathing pattern, Zack would wake up and take care in what way he could.

Zack cuddled as close as he could to Cloud and held him, his hand still laying on his chest. He listened to Cloud's steady breathing and slowly drifted off to sleep.

The sun came through the window in a blinding light. It had been a few weeks since the incident with Cloud's arm. Zack still cringed at the memory. Good news was that cloud was getting significantly better. He was starting to form actually words and he had gained some of his walking ability back. He still needed Zack severely though but hell, it was improvement.

Cloud and Zack were sleeping in the same bed they had come to occupy since they started staying with Aerith. Zack still kept his hand on the other's chest. Thing was, Cloud didn't seem to notice that he was doing it. The older of the two was awaken by the irregular breathing of the younger. He lifted his hand slightly off the chest and leaned over the other. Cloud was making small whimpering noises and his brows were brought together.

"Cloud?" Zack whispered. "Cloud, hey!" He gave the blonde a light shake on the shoulder only to get more whimpers as a response. He spoke a little louder and gave a harder shake. "Cloud!" the younger's eyes flew open and his arm shot up to hit away the unknown face. Zack's mako reflexes allowed him to grab Cloud's arm before it hit him. "Cloud it's okay!" He reassured. He pulled the blonde up and held him close. Cloud's breathing slowly went back to normal and he relaxed into Zack's embrace.

"Z-Zack…" He mumbled out.

"It's okay." Zack whispered. He pulled the younger back so he could look at him. He gave a small smile and wiped away a tear that the blonde had shed.

"Sh-Shin-Ra…" Cloud said.

"Shh," Zack hushed. He cradled Cloud closer and started to rock back and forth. It hurt him to know that Cloud was having nightmares about that place. He thought back to when Cloud couldn't even form words. Was he having them then too? He probably was and Zack didn't have any idea. His breathing was often normal when he slept, except for the times he stopped breathing.

"It's alright." Zack comforted. He laid Cloud back down and laid next to him, wrapping his arms around the other. Cloud whimpered and turned his head to his best ability. Zack gave another small smile and managed to turn the other's body so they were facing each other.

Eventually Cloud's whimpers stopped and the two fell back asleep. Zack kept his hold on Cloud throughout the night and woke up periodically to check on the blonde.

Days turned into weeks and Cloud slowly got better and better. Now he was walking by himself. He occasionally stumbled now and again but Zack was always there to help him. It was funny, when Zack thought about it. He thought of Cloud as a toddler now. Walking but still needing that help. He loved to help the younger. If anything it made their bond stronger in Zack's opinion. Cloud however didn't like it too much. Which is why they were at their current situation. Cloud leaning against the counter, trying to hold himself up and Zack trying to help him.

"I'm not a kid Zack!" Cloud yelled at the raven haired man.

"I know but, just let me help you!" Zack pleaded. He took a step forward and reached for Cloud.

"No!" Cloud yelled at him. "Damn it Zack I'm not that stupid little sixteen year old anymore! It's been four years!" Silence filled the house as the last sentence left Cloud's mouth. He immediately regretted saying it. Aerith, who had been standing near the stairs, watching with sadness from the start of the argument, had her hand over her mouth.

"Don't you think I know that?" Zack asked quietly. He was sad, heartbroken really. "Cloud, I want to help you. I don't care if you don't like it it's because I care!"

Cloud looked down to the counter top. He listened as Zack's footsteps grew closer to him. He felt Zack's hand on his shoulder and turned his face further away.

"Sorry." He mumbled out.

"It's okay." Zack said with a small smile. He managed to get Cloud away from the counter and pulled one of the younger's arms onto his shoulder. He helped him over to the table where they went on like nothing had ever happened.

Sleeping was stilling interesting. Since Cloud was starting to grasp more and pay more attention to what had been going on around him, Zack was dealt with a question he didn't even think the younger of the two would ever ask.

"Wh-what're you doing?" Cloud asked with a slight blush. He and Zack were laying down for the night and Zack had done as he always did. Cloud was half way turned over towards Zack looking him in the face waiting for an answer.

"Uh, I use to do this when you were sick." He replied awkwardly.

"Well I'm fine now." Cloud said. "So, you don't have to it anymore."

"But, I'm use to it and I feel that it's the smart thing to do. You know, just in case something happens while you're sleeping." Zack explained. The whole situation had just become awkward. Their words were coming out slow and imprecise. Like they were telling each other one thing but really, neither minded Zack's hand being on Cloud's chest.

"What could your hand possibly do to help me when we're asleep?" Cloud asked Zack.

"Well, when you would sleep I would put my hand there and if you stopped breathing in your sleep or something I would always wake up and help you. It's even how I could tell if you were having bad dreams." Zack explained. Cloud was quiet for a moment before he remembered Zack had never moved his hand from Cloud's chest. He blushed and carefully pulled the other's hand away.

"Y-Yeah but now I'm better so it's okay…" He said, trailing off.

"But I'm use to it so maybe you could let me do it for one more night?" Zack tried. Cloud sighed and let Zack's hand go. Zack let it hover in place above the other's chest. Cloud laid down and turned on his side, not saying anything to Zack. Zack bit his lower lip. He figured Cloud was upset with him. He leaned back on his forearms and looked at the wall across the room. Cloud rolled over and looked at Zack. He reached over and grabbed Zack's right hand. Zack took his weight off of it and let Cloud pull it over and place it on his chest.

"Only because you're use to it…" Cloud blushed.

Sure things changed, some for the better some for the worst. The future held a fate much different than that of the one if Zack hadn't made it on that day on the cliff. For now they'd live. Go on and try to forget they're painful past, their lost ones, everything. Though it's easier said than done. Things would change and they did. They would live out their lives as things faced them. They weren't alone. Their friends would help them all the way.

**Author's Notes: **Herp Derp! Geez this thing has been under construction for like two years! Finally got back to writing it! It is long as hell! Sorry about that! And… I changed my name again… It's not that I didn't like my other one it's just that I'm trying to come up with a title that hasn't been used by anyone and isn't similar to anyone else's name! I need a music alias that's good! So that's that.

**So review and I hope you enjoyed! ****J**


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